By Emily Isaac and Genevieve Messner, Bethesda Green interns from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
On Thursday, February 9th, Bethesda Green hosted its eighth annual Fields of Green Internship Fair. Since it began in 2009, Fields of Green has been attended by hundreds of students and dozens of companies and organizations and has helped high school, undergraduate, and graduate students find opportunities in a “field” of the “green” economy that interests them. This fair is held in order to encourage connections between sustainable employers and students in the DMV, allowing students looking to enter the green sector to gain real-world experience. This year, with twenty participating companies and over fifty attending students, the fair was more successful than ever. Employers ranging from government organizations to nonprofits to green startups were able to meet an array of eager candidates, and some even conducted interviews on the spot.
While milling about the fair, Emily was fortunate enough to have a short conversation with a representative of SOL VISTA, who told me that she got her current job from an internship secured through the Fields of Green Fair two years earlier. This is just one example of the meaningful and lasting connections made at Fields of Green. Bethesda Green continues to expand its relationships with the regional green community so that matches such as these continue to happen in the future.
Here’s a look at the groups represented at the fair:
Area schools represented: Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Richard Montgomery High School, Montgomery College, University of Maryland-College Park, Georgetown University, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Maryland University College, George Mason University, American University, St. Mary’s College, George Washington University
Government branches represented: Montgomery County Parks at Brookside Gardens, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County Department of General Services, Office of Energy and Sustainability
Non-profit organizations represented: Bethesda Green, Friends of Cabin John Creek, Living Classrooms National Capital Region, Montgomery County Food Council, GreenWheaton, Student Conservation Association, Wildlife Habitat Council, Red Wiggler Community Farm
For-profit companies represented: 1000ecofarms.com, Neighborhood Sun, Dress it Up Dressing, Advanced Biofuels USA, Solar Energy World, The Green Mop, SOL VISTA, Solar Mowing
We thank everyone who participated in the event and hope to see you next year.
